On Sat, 21 May 2005 13:06:34 GMT, Ed Christie wrote:


Some how the water tank loses the air in the tank. After a few months
the well pump starts to short cycle. At this time I remove the plug
that is about halfway up the tank and drain the excess water
out.replace the plug and everything is OK for a few months more.

I can find no where for the air to leak out. It seems like it has to
be at the top of the tank, above the plug that I remove to drain out
the excess water. I don't think that it is the drain plug because as
soon as it gets below the water level if there was any leak, it would
then be water, and I dont see any wet spots.

You need more than a half tank of atmospheric air for the tank to function
optimally. During normal operation it should be approximately 2/3rds full
of air under pressure to be most effective. The air will expand to
evacuate most of the water out of the tank about the pump kicks on, and
compress as the pump reaches shutoff.

Assuming a bladderless tank or blown bladder, this means initially
shutting off the pump, draining ALL water out of the tank, close water
valve to tank and pump it up with air to about 5 psi less than the
pressure switch turns the pump on.

But if a bladderless tank or blown bladder, the water will absorb air, so
you need to recharge the air occasionally. There should be a Schrader
valve (like on a tire) somewhere for that purpose if it was plumbed
properly.